Garment-stretcher.



PATENTED SEPT. 29, 190s.

E. BAMBACH.l

GARMENT S'Hvf.T J1emR.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 4, 1903.

p I 1 rmwlffm .INI/ENTOR bwa/L H0 MODEL.

EDWARD DAMBACH, F EVANS CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Patented September 29, 1968.

PATENT OFFICE. n

-' GARNI ENT-STRETCHER.

SEEGFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,249, dated September 29, 1903.

Application iiled April 4, 1903. Serial No. 151,106. (No model.)

To LEZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAMBACH, of Evans City, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Stretchers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form partof this specification.

This invention is an improvement in combined trousers stretchers and pressers and will be fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of the apparatus and parts of'construction upon which protection is desired are set forth in the claims. v

Referring to said drawings, Figure l is a view of the stretcher and presser as in use. Fig. 2 is a View of the same open. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section, and Figs. 4J and 5 are detailed views.

The device comprises two opposite similar main presser-boards A B, which are hinged together at theirV lower ends by means of the strap-hinges'O. YOne member of the straphinge-that connected to the board A, for extample,-is preferably pivotally oonnectedto the board, so that the boards may be folded over upon eachother and may be adjusted toward or from each other as is required-to accommodate goods of dierent thicknesses, The board A is provided on each side with a pluralityT of opstanding clamp-hooks D, the

hook ends of which project above the board` B when the latter is lowered in position and are adapted to be engaged by cam-retainers E, pivoted on the outer edges of the board B.

These cam-retainers have preferably disk-4 shaped bodies provided with upstandingcircumferential cam-flanges e and thumb-pieces E', by which they may be rotated ontheirz They also have notches c2 intermepivots. diate the large and small ends of the carntlange',"so that when the cams are turned to bring the recesses next to the clamp-hooks D theboard B may be raised from theboard A, audwhen;the cams are properly turned on their pivots they engage the hooks, as indicated in the drawings, and will clamp the boards A B tirmlytogether and com press'any garment therebetween.

A longitudinally-movable bar Fris attached tothe rear side of the board A and may be guided in looped straps c', extending thereacross. The clamp-hooks C may be made integral with the ends of the strap C', if desired, as shown in the drawings. The bar F may be held in any posit-ion to which itis adjusted by means of a thumb-screw C2, tapped through the uppermost loop-strap C. The outer end of bar F is slotted, as at F', and in this slot is a winged nut gon a rotatable screw-shaft G, the outer end of which shaft is rotatably journaled in a plate f2, attached to the outer end of bar F. The screwshaft G is provided with a thumb-piece or handle g2, by which it can berotated so as to movel the wing-nut g up or down in the groove. To the wing-nut g is attached a clamp -plate I-l, to which is hinged a second similar clamp-plateh; On the ends of the plate H are clamp-hooksl, similar to those on board C, which are adapted to be engaged by cams I' on the outer ends of bar h, similar to those onboard B, so that when the bar A is turned down over bar H it may be firmly clamped thereto by means of the said cams and clamp-hooks. Y A

The device may be used for stretching and pressing trousers as follows: The clamps are first loosened and board vB raised. The

trousers are then laid smoothly 'on vlowery board, replacing board B and tightening the lowermost clamps E E, (one at each side,) so as to secure the trousers at the bottom edges, leaving the upper side clamps momentarily open. The waistband-clamps are properly positioned, and then plate h is opened and the waistband laid on plate H. Then plate 7?J is turned down and fastened, securely holding the waistband.' Then by means of screw 1G; the'desired-stretch is given the garment, '(there being no pressure thereon except at bottom hem and waistband,)'and afterbeing stretched as desired the'remaining side clamps E are tightened, so as to give the desired pressureon the leg portions of the trousers to crease them. -By Vmeans of the bar F the waistband-clam ps h can be adj ust-ed above the boards A B tothe proper length tol suit any particular pair of trousers. Vhen one person only uses the apparatus, the bar would net thereafter have to be changed; but it can be readily changed at any time, as desired, and held in place by the thumb-screw.

When the apparatus is extended to its 'proper length, the clamps H h hold the trousers at the waistband, and after the trouserslegs are clamped by the boards A B additional stretching may be given the trousers by rotating the screw-shaft G.

An advantage of the present apparatus is that the trousers can be put into the same without the trouble of or necessity for emptying out the pockets, as the pockets and upper portion of the trousers need not be subjected to pressure between either set of boards.

The apparatus can be bling up or stood up in any position while it is in use, and a number of them can be conveniently used and stored in a comparatively small space.

, Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is-

1. In a trousers-presser, the combination of the similar opposite leg-pressing boards, the loose hinge connection between the lower ends of said boards, whereby said boards are permitted to separate slightly in parallel planes, and to swing relatively lengthwise, with hooks attached to both side edges of one board, and cam4 members attached to both edges of the other board adapted to engage said hooks to bind the boards together, substantially as described.

2. In a combination trousers stretcher and presser, the combination of leg pressing boards, hinged at their lower ends, a series of clamp-hooks attached to one board and a series of cam members pivoted to the other board adapted to engage the clamp-hooks, and waistband-clamps adjustably attached by suitable means to said boards; all adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

3. In combination opposite similar legpressing boards, and a pivotal connection between the lower ends of said boards, the

tached to said bar, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as described.

4. In a combination trousers stretcher and presser, the combination of leg pressing boards, hinged at their lower ends, a series of clamp-hooks attached to one board and a series of cam members pivoted to the other board adapted to engage the clamp-hooks; with a bar adjustably attached to one board, the waistband-clamp plates attached to said bar, the clamp-hooks on the ends of one waistband-plate, cams on the opposite plate engaging said bar, and means for adjusting said waistband-clamp plate longitudinally of the bar, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

5. In a combination trousers stretcher-'and presser, the combination of leg clamping boards, means for clamping them together, a bar adj ustably attached to one of said boards, a screw-threaded shaft rotatably mounted on the outer end of said bar, a wing-nut on said shaft, a waistband-clamp member adjustably connected with said shaft by said nut, an opposite waistband-clamp member hinged to the first member and adjustable therewith, and clamp-hooks and cams on the ends of said members, substantially as described.

6. The herein-described trousers stretcher and presser, comprising the opposite similar leg-pressing members, having a pivotal hinge connection at their lower end, clamp-hooks on the edges of one member and pivotal disk cams on the edge ofthe other member adapted to engage said clamp-hooks, a longitudinallyadjustablebar adjustably connected with one of said members, a rotatable threaded shaft attached to the outer end of said bar, a wingnut engaging said shaft, a pair of waistbandclamping plates hinged together, one of said plates being fastened to said wing-nut and. adjustable both by adjusting the support-bar and by rotating the screw-shaft, and means for causing said plates to clamp the waistband, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as vmy own I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD DAMB'ACH.

In presence of- H. W. MARTIN, A. L. GREEN.

IOO 

